Louis van Gaal is set to start his new role as Manchester United manager from today.

Much is expected of the legendary Dutchman, who has managed big European clubs like Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

The 62-year-old is arriving at Old Trafford just months after the Red Devils had a terrible season.

Under the now-sacked David Moyes, the Manchester outfit finished seventh in the Premier League in 2013-14, while also failing to progress beyond the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Van Gaal will not only be expected to take United back into the top four of the English top flight, but also to win the league, but the club’s former first-team coach Rene Meulensteen believes that his compatriot should be given time.

‘It’s almost like it’s the end of an era at the club, with Ryan Giggs hanging up his boots and players like (Rio) Ferdinand, (Nemanja) Vidic and (Patrice) Evra all leaving - it’s a big change for the team... But not only will the players will have to buy into his philosophy, people must realise the process will take time’.

Meulensteen is not the first major footballing figure to warn the United fans that it will take time to appreciate and grasp Van Gaal’s philosophy.

But how much time will and should Van Gaal get to make this United side a competitive team? The three-time European champions cannot afford to go another season without Champions League football or winning anything major.

Two major players have been signed – midfielder Ander Herrera from Athletic Bilbao and defender Luke Shaw from Southampton – and a few others are expected to be recruited, while some of the current squad members will be offloaded.

Pre-season will be crucial for United as the players will have to adapt themselves to the style of Van Gaal, who himself with be under pressure to deliver the goods in the upcoming campaign.

Subhankar Mondal

A football journalist based in Wakefield, Subhankar Mondal has previously worked for Goal.com International and Skysports.com, and has had his sports articles published in The Guardian and The Observer. He has also been on the BBC in the past and his name once found its way to the pages of the World Soccer magazine. He was recently cited in a major Louis van Gaal biography.